There are numerous fifth-wheel manufacturers, but there are a number of them, according to recreational vehicle review site Roaming Times, that tend to outshine the others. These manufacturers include Carriage (located in Millersburg, Ind.), Dutchmen (Goshen, Ind.) and the best-selling fifth-wheel manufacturer (according to Roaming Times), Coachmen (Elkhart, Ind.). Gulf Stream Coach (Nappanee, Ind.) and Jayco (Middlebury, Ind.) are both popular and the least expensive manufacturers.
Fifth wheels come with a variety of accessories and features. Depending on your camping lifestyle, accessories can include shade awnings; outside showers; queen- or king-sized beds; triple bunk beds; hide-a-bed sofas; smoke detectors and fire extinguishers; kitchenettes with mini-refrigerators, mini-ranges and microwaves, flip-down tables and coffeemakers; rocking recliners, TVs; radios; air conditioners; heaters; and bathrooms with showers. Some high-end models also include flat-screen TVs with DVD players and surround sound; full bathrooms with showers and bathtubs; and kitchens with full-sized tables and full-sized refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges and microwaves. They can also feature expandable living rooms and bedrooms with one or two slide-outs. (Slide-outs are living areas that can be mechanically extended past the normal width of the trailer, making the room larger, and later slide back in when not in use.) Many appliances in fifth wheels run on both propane and electricity; some units, called three-way appliances, even run on DC batteries.
Fifth wheels range between 22 to 40 feet in length and approximately 8 1/2 feet wide (not including slide-outs). Slide-outs can increase a fifth wheel's width in a particular area of the vehicle by several feet. According to Camping Earth, a camping guide site, the most popular fifth-wheel sizes are between 32 to 36 feet in length.
The size of the truck towing the fifth wheel trailer should be directionally proportional to the size of the fifth wheel itself. For example, Mike Lindsey from etrailer, an RV and trailer accessory and installation facility out of Wentzville, Mo., recommends using a full-sized 3/4-ton truck such as a Chevy, GMC 2500, Dodge Ram 2500 or a Ford F-250 to pull a 16,000-lb., 36-foot fifth wheel. Smaller 22-foot fifth wheels can be towed using a 1/2-ton truck, as long as the truck is equipped with four-wheel drive.
